Two men were in the jungle on a trip. They were talking about what they would do in certain situations, postulation hypothetical situations that could occur. One of the friend said to the other, I have one for you. We have been told that we have three minutes before a lion would be released into where we are. We have three minutes to decide what to do. What is the one thing you would do in a situation like that? The friend responded I will put on my adidas. The one who asked the question said what! Yep, that is what I will do; I will put on my adidas, the other friend replied. The interrogative friend asked, what for, you can’t outrun a lion? The friend said, I don’t need to outrun the lion; I just need to outrun you.

Think about it for a moment. This is the same predicament the Ghana Black Stars coach, Milovan Rajevac is in and it is exactly what this article is about. Think fast, think smart and do the right thing is the key note for the matching band to South Africa since time is not on his side. The country has less than two months to go for the ultimate competition and nothing has been done or heard in terms of the criteria Milovan is going to apply to pick the right players, who will represent the Black Stars of Ghana. As if we already have the team, even though, we do have the players. A coach who decides not to do what is right, but would find the easier way around to do his job is up for nothing but doom. It doesn’t work like that in this world. Nothing comes out easily if something valuable is needed. To contemplate on Milovan coaching ability, it tells only two things, the easier and the lazier way of doing things. Below is the case. The problem with Coach Milovan is that he doesn’t have the confidence to try out new and untested players. During his first press conference, he pointed out some players as his key players. From day one, I mean, from the very first day he took over, all he has been doing is to recycle LeRoy’s and Sellas Tetteh’s selections. He is obsessed with big names and now those names are no where to be found. Those key or as he indicated “Core” players may probably not even make the cut to SA if only Justify Your Inclusion would be applied. Before the African Cup of Nations 2010, there was nothing as justify your inclusion (JYI) in the coach’s mind and there is still none in his vocabulary. The players who were invited to Angola were called not through JYI but by accident. I say that because no one, as of today, has been able to tell what the criteria were for the invitations. The players were picked, as usual, based on names. It was quite fortunate and unfortunate that some of Milovan’s favorites were injured, and therefore, were unable to join the team. He would have added them though these players were staminaly unfit. Due to the fact that they had been termed by the coach as, “Core players,” according to his earlier articles, he would have included them without justifying their inclusion. Because there was no Justify Your Inclusion in the first place, Milovan couldn’t take the heat when the news hit home that his reliable core players were not going to make the trip to Angola. He had no choice but to settle with the players Sellas Tetteh had groomed. In this case, he knew that these players were young and inexperienced based on the level of the tournament, but picked them anyway. Later he complained when the Black Stars of Ghana was shamelessly destroyed in the first group game by the Elephants of Ivory Coast. Milovan tried to rationalize his defeat by referring to his team’s injuries and inexperienced players. As if he had no clue of how these young players were before he, himself, called them. What was he expecting? Failing to do the right thing will only protract the team’s deficiency. Justify Your Inclusion, so far, is the appropriate channel to steer the team. It may have disadvantages as many have predicted; however, the advantages out-weigh the disadvantages. Some fans are against it because according to them, we have limited time and limited financial resources. Are these football fanatics saying that the Ghana Football Association (GFA) can afford sponsor a coach to travel around the globe, evaluating the same players we all know and see on weekly bases while staying home, but can’t afford to have a Justify Your Inclusion in Europe for the right players to be picked? I don’t think so because this beats administration common sense. Milovan has the time to travel but doesn’t have the time to sit at one place and put something on paper? Let us visit the Black Stars itinerary: As it is planned, the team will base in France from the 24th May, 2010. As of now, the 27th May, 2010 is wide open for an international friendly match. Why waste time searching for an opponent to play a friendly match when the players are available but the team is not available? In other words, since an opponent has not been contracted as of today to grace our International Friendly Match Date, why can’t the coach take this opportunity to conduct Justify Your Inclusion from 25th to 28th of May? Even if 60 players are invited initially, these four days should give the coach an ample time to have his first and second team through the JYI. On 29th May, the final selected 23 players depart France for Holland as scheduled. First team encounter Holland on Jun 1st then the second team match up against Latvia in London on Jun 5th case closed. What is so difficult about this? Let us be real, it is neither about the money nor the time. We have both commodities to aid us to accomplish the ultimate goal. The second argument is the fact that the Black Stars of Ghana already has the players to represent the country. Yes, indeed, we do and we all are witnesses to that. Ofcourse, we do have numerous of them. Incidentally, we need only 23 players and not 60 players to stand in for the country. The third concern is the idea that, some of the new players may be intimidated by their old experienced competitors, or they may not be able to offer strong resistance to their capabilities. A pusillanimous pugilist is a boxer who is afraid of his opponents. This is football, and by saying that, Justify Your Inclusion is the only way to identify the best among the best. In short, it is not a boxing match, so where is the fearfulness coming from and why all these flimsy excuses? Another school of thought is the motive that, some players may kill themselves to do well during the Justify Your Inclusion Just for them to be selected into the squad. They would eventually relax and goof up during the main event. Those with that notion should know that no player will sweat to gain a ticket to the world’s most popular event on this earth then will decide to under-perform with the opportunity at hand. No way! (No one with a clear mind will do such a thing) We are talking about WC games here, folks! This is where the sky is the limit, the Cinderellas surface, an unknown becomes a legend, unidentified becomes a star, and a free agent becomes a multi-contract, mega star. This is the place and the time for a player to shine like a shinning star. Therefore what are these fans talking about? Not only that their argument does not hold water, it does not even hold air. Like one of our tribes will say, “Gaa wuta, gaa naama, gaa feere, gaa dokyi!” In simple prints, if you really know how to cook, in front of you is fire and so is meat; if you think you are exceptional in horse riding, then the field is wide open and the horse is here as well. This is why it is very essential for the coach to conduct Justify Your Inclusion to allow the fit and the hungry to pick their tickets without the aid of any GFA influence. With the JYI done and concluded, every inquisitive mind would have been rested making sure Ghana is well represented by the best, only the best in the business. Ghana squad (23 Needed, 3 goalies, 8 defenders, 8 midfielders, 4 strikers)

Goalkeepers: Richard Kingson (Wigan, England), Daniel Agyei (Liberty Professionals, Ghana), Philemon McCarthy (Hearts of Oak, Ghana), William Amamoo (Malmoff, Sweden) and Larsen Kwarasey (Stromsgodset, Norway) if transfer goes through.

Defenders: John Mensah (Sunderland, England) John Pantsil (Fulham, England) Jonathan Mensah (Udinese, Italy), Jonathan Quatey (OGC Nice, France), Hans Adu Sarpei (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany), Samuel Inkoom (Basel, Switzerland) Eric Addo (Roda JC, Holland) Isaac Vorsah (TSG Hoffenheim, Germany), Lee Addy (Bechem Chelsea,Ghana) Harrison Afful (Esperance, Tunisia) David Addy (FC Porto, Spain)

Midfielders: Michael Essien (Chelsea, England), Sulley Ali Muntari (Inter Milan, Italy),Stephen Appiah (Bologna, Italy) Ibrahim Ayew (Zamalek, Egypt) Anthony Annan (Rosenborg, Norway), Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (Udinese, Italy), Kwadwo Asamoah (Udinese, Italy) Moussa Narry (Auxerre, France) Andre Ayew (Arles-Avagnon, France, second division) Prince Kevin Boateng (Portsmouth, England) Prince Buaben (Dundee United, Scotland) Quincy Owusu-Abeyie (Al Sadd), Bennard Kumordzi (Panionios, Greece), Derick Boateng (Getafe FC, Spain)

Attackers: Matthew Amoah (NAC Breda, Holland) Asamoah Gyan (Rennes, France), Dominic Adiyiah (AC Milan, Italy) Haminu Draman (Locomotiv Moscow, Russia), Ransford Osei (FC Twente, Holland), Prince Tagoe (TSG Hoffernheim, Germany), Junior Agogo (Apollon Limassol, Republic of Cyprus), Eric Bekoe (Petrojet, Egypt) Folks, I’ve presented my case, and as usual, in all things, “Get Understanding, Get Wisdom.” Ransford Peprah (Rnsfdpeprah@yahoo.com)